Timbre-selector for a musical synthesizer



Oct. 2, 1962 R. SEYBOLD TIMBRE-SELECTOR FOR A MUSICAL SYNTHESIZER Filed June 11. 1958 INVENTOR RENE SEYBOLD ATTORNEY.

United States Patent Ofilice 3,056,326 Patented Oct. 2, 1962 3,056,326 TlMBRE-SELECTOR FOR A MUSICAL SYNTHESIZER Rene Seybold, 4 Blvd. Jacques Preiss, Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), France Filed June 11, 1958, Ser. No. 741,377 2 Claims. (til. 84-119) The present invention relates to a timbre-selector for music synthesizers wherein the desired timbres are obtained by means of push-buttons, stops or other similar members.

It is known that in order to obtain a desired timbre, a plurality of push-buttons have to be actuated. In view of the relatively large number of push-buttons which an instrument generally comprises, the selection of the pushbuttons corresponding to a desired timbre is rendered difficult, particularly as it depends solely on the memory of the performer. Moreover, this selection always causes a certain waste of time giving rise, each time, to an undesirable disturbance in the musical presentation.

In order to simplify the manipulation of the instrument considerably, one solution provides for each of the timbres to be selected, a single push-button acting simultaneously on all the contacts facing it, in order to close each of the corresponding circuits simultaneously.

However, this proposal is hardly workable in practice. Such a construction would, in fact, mean that if one and the same circuit had to enter into the composition of a plurality of timbres, such circuit would have to be connected to the contacts of all the circuits which are necessary to produce the synthesis of the desired timbres. This would involve the use of a large number of contacts and conducting wires for each timbre which is undesirable in view of the fact that coupling and disturbances would result between the various circuits and might render impossible a clear reproduction of sound, that is to say reproduction without distortion. Thus, for example, if in order to obtain the synthesis of a single desired timbre, it is necessary to have recourse to seven circuits, for twentytwo timbres it would be necessary to have recourse to 22 7=154 circuits with their contacts.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a timbre selector for a musical synthesizer which is based on knowledge of these facts and indicates a new means which avoids all the mentioned disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a timbre-selector for keyboard musical synthesizers which, for a plurality of circuits necessary in order to obtain a predetermined number of timbres, comprises a single contact for each circuit and, in addition, at least one member extending over the contacts of all the circuits and permitting the circuits corresponding to each of the timbres to be selected and closed.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of a timbre-selector, the main member of which consists of a composition cylinder;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of a part of the composition cylinder disclosed in FIG. 1, the control for which consists of a selector disc;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the selector disc;

FIG. 5 is an axial section along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of a component member of the composition cylinder.

Referring now to the drawings, in the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the timbre-selector comprises twenty-three different circuits which can be closed and opened by twenty-three pairs of contacts. These twentythree circuits are divided into five groups, each of which only comprises circuits including the contact pole pairs of elements which do not exert any influence on one another.

In order to arrange these groups, it is important that their inherent characteristics should be taken into consideration.

Whereas, in this embodiment, group I only includes three contacts, the number of contacts forming the other groups is somewhat higher. But the number of groups, as well as that of the contacts which form them may also be considerably higher. In groups I to V, the pairs of contacts are, respectively, designated by the numerals 1 to 6.

The contacts 1 to 6, arranged in pairs, are housed in bars of insulating material 10 and 10a, from which they emerge with their free ends 9 bent perpendicularly up wards, the ends serving as connecting wires. For the circuits comprising resistors, capacitors 11, etc., clips 9a are provided on the insulating bar 10a to retain these members.

The free ends of the contacts 1 to V rest in a resilient manner on the composition cylinder 12 of insulating material.

The surface of the cylinder 12 is provided with narrow longitudinal grooves '15 which are directed parallel to the axis of the cylinder 12. The number of the grooves 15 corresponds to that of the timbres to be selected, namely twenty-two, by example. Each of the grooves 15 includes a given number of conducting bridges .16, that is to say a number which corresponds exactly to that of the contacts which have to be connected to produce the synthesis of a single one of the timbres. This simple arrangement permits the simultaneous closing of all the circuits included in the composition of a selected timbre and FIG. 1 shows, by means of the arrows A-A, a position of the composition cylinder 12 in which the circuits leading to the contacts I H 111 and V are closed. Upon advancing the cylinder 12 to the next groove 15, it will be the circuits l H 1V and V which are closed, and so on.

The conducting bridges 16 only project very slightly from the surface of the cylinder 12 in such manner that the resistance to be overcome during the rotation of the cylinder is reduced to a minimum. The only resistance opposed to the rotation of the cylinder 12 is that resulting from the sliding of the contacts over the periphery of the cylinder and over the contact bridges; this resistance is useful because it ensures a good frictional contact.

It should be noted that the grooves 15 may follow one another very closely in such a manner that a relatively large number of grooves may be provided on a cylinder of relatively small diameter and that a rotation of a very small amplitude is sufficient to advance the cylinder from one position to the following position.

The control of the composition cylinder '12 may be effected in various manners:

According to the embodiment disclosed in MG. 1, the control member for the cylinder 12. consists of a knurled control disc 13 fixed to the shaft of the cylinder 12. A ratchet wheel 14 which cooperates with a suitable pawl M, such as a spring-biased ball, serves to arrest the cylinder 12 in each contact position.

In order to permit a very rapid and precise selection to be made, the control disc 13 for the composition cylinder 12 may advantageously be provided with a series of apertures in the manner of a telephone dial, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. According to the embodiment disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4, two discs 45 and 46 are fixed to the shaft 44 of the composition cylinder 40, the outer disc 45 being provided with apertures 47 while the inner disc 46 bears the designation of a timbre to be selected, opposite each of the apertures 47. A fixed stop is provided in the path travelled by the apertures 47. If a finger is intrcduced into a selected aperture 47 and the disc 45 is then turned until the finger abuts against the stop 43, the cylinder 40 occupies exactly the position corresponding to the desired timbre. This arrangement does not permit the disc 45 to be turned in both directions. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the stop 48 may be displaced between two limits represented by two fixed stops 49 and 54 The amplitude of this displacement corresponds to the division of one aperture. This arrangement, in contrast to the first, permits the disc 45 to be turned in both directions. In the example illustrated, the timbre selected is that which corresponds to the aperture 47. When this timbre has to be replaced by the timbre which corresponds to the aperture 47", the disc must he turned in clockwise direction. When, on the other hand, this same timbre has to be replaced by that corresponding to the aperture 47", the disc 45 is preferably turned in the opposite direction until the lever 43 is stopped by the stop 56 (see the position shown in dash dotted lines).

FIG. 3 also illustrates an additional advantageous master control mechanism which could also be used for other embodiments such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This mechanism comprises for each circuit a second pair of contacts 32 which is coupled directly to the first pair of contacts 22 and which is controlled by a push-button 36 provided with a contactor bridge 31. This device enables any pair of contacts to be connected, at will, by means of the push-buttons 30, in such a desired combinations can be established rendered possible by the selector. In order to take ad vantage of this possibility, it is suflicient to actuate the pushbuttons 31) in correspondence with the desired timbre and not to operate the knobs 28.

If the latter device is combined with the selector of FIGS. 1 and 2, it would be necessary to provide a neutral position on the composition cylinder 12, that is to say a position in which the corresponding groove 15 does not include any conducting bridges.

It goes without saying that whatever the form of construction of the selector, the master control mechanism may be used jointly with any selector mechanism.

It should also be noted that as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the composition cylinder 46, instead of being constructed integrally, may consist of a plurality of individual members 41 which, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, are in the form of discs provided on their periphery with grooves 42 to receive the conducting bridges 43 or the like and which apart from those manner, that any comprises assembly means such as studs (FIG. 5) and corresponding recesses (FIG. 6) on their lateral faces.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. A timbre-selector for a music synthesizer comprismg a composition cylinder rotatably supported and having a plurality of axially disposed grooves arranged on its periphery and angularly spaced apart from/ each other,

a plurality of conducting bridges selectively disposed in each of said grooves axially spaced apart from each other and extending beyond the periphery of said composition cylinder,

a pair of contacts engaging the periphery of said composition cylinder and coordinated to all of said conducting bridges disposed in said grooves in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said composition cylinder, to close a plurality of circuits through all said pairs of contacts disposed in the same of said grooves by the corresponding of said engaged conducting bridges dependent upon the rotary position of said composition cylinder, and

means for turning said composition cylinder into any predetermined rotary position.

2. The timbre-selector, as set forth in claim 1, which includes a shaft carrying said composition cylinder, and

a control member for said composition cylinder comprising a knurled disc secured to said shaft,

a ratchet wheel keyed to said shaft, and

a pawl disposed adjacent to and cooperating with said shaft, in order to arrest said composition cylinder in each contact position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 836,827 Pool Nov. 27, 1906 136L006 Brown Dec. 7, 1920 1,793,592 Davis Feb. 24, 1931 1,956,350 Hammond Apr. 24, 1934 2,049,616 Lilja Aug. 4, 1936 2,250,066 Manatt July 22, 1941 2,455,032 Williams Nov. 30, 1948 

